Cost of Living Concerns Dominate Voter Worries Ahead of Midterms, Fox News Poll Finds

Cost-of-living concerns are the foremost economic worry for voters, significantly impacting the political landscape weeks before the midterm elections, according to a new Fox News poll. Six in 10 voters identify the rising cost of living as their primary economic concern, overshadowing issues such as government spending, jobs, income inequality, tariffs, and taxes.

The poll reveals broad dissatisfaction with the current economic conditions, with 74% of voters rating the economy negatively and 53% expecting it to worsen in the coming year. Overall, two-thirds of respondents are dissatisfied with the direction of the country, and only 18% feel their family is better off compared to two years ago. Independents are particularly pessimistic, with 52% stating they are worse off and 70% anticipating economic decline.

Inflation remains a critical issue, with a majority of voters (55%) indicating that it is "not at all" under control, an increase from earlier in the year. President Trump's job approval rating on inflation has fallen to a new low of 22%. His overall job approval stands at 36%, the lowest recorded in a Fox News survey for either of his terms. Disapproval of his performance on inflation has reached 77%, with 70% disapproving of his handling of the economy overall.

The survey also indicates a partisan advantage for Democrats in the generic House ballot, with 54% of voters saying they would support the Democratic candidate in their district compared to 45% for the Republican candidate. This lead has widened since the previous month.

Democrats hold an advantage on 10 out of 13 issue concerns, including government corruption, inflation, gas prices, government leadership, and healthcare. Republicans retain a lead on crime and border security. Majorities of voters express greater trust in Democrats than Republicans to handle key issues such as inflation (D+16), gas prices (D+12), and healthcare (D+22).

Republicans have experienced a decline in voter trust on issues where they previously held an advantage, such as border security and inflation, compared to four years ago. The poll also highlights voter dissatisfaction with Congress, with only 15% approving of its performance.

Party favorability ratings are negative for both Democrats (58% unfavorable) and Republicans (61% unfavorable). However, the Democratic candidate is favored among several key demographic groups, including White voters with a college degree, those under 45, women, union households, and Hispanics. The Republican candidate leads among White voters without a college degree, older voters, those who attend religious services regularly, military veterans, and White evangelical Christians.

The survey was conducted October 9-12, 2026, among 1,202 registered voters, with a margin of sampling error of ±2.5 percentage points for the full sample.